


Say Yes

by Sheepie



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Happy Ending, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 13:51:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9184522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheepie/pseuds/Sheepie
Summary: Prompt: Merwin prompt: Eggsy thinks Merlin Is cheating on him. He isn't - insert hing he is actually doing. Happy ending please :)Eggsy is starting to think there may be more to Harry and Merlin's relationship. Boy could he be more wrong.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Un-betaed

“So where do you want to go for dinner tonight?” Eggsy asks as he taps at his phone, letting his mum know he could pick Daisy up that afternoon.

“Afraid I can’t tonight, lad,” Merlin replies, not turning away from his laptop.

“Oh?” Eggsy glances at him, frowning. They’d already confirmed plans that morning. “Are y’ working late again?”

He tries to quell the disappointment creeping into voice. Merlin doesn’t need to feel guilty about working. He tries his best, and Eggsy fully understands. Without Merlin, this entire place would fall to pieces. Perhaps he can coax Harry into joining him.

“Yeah,” Merlin says, finally sparing Eggsy an apologetic smile. “I’ll probably be home late tonight too.”

Eggsy’s stomach drops a little forward, but he nods and soldiers on. “Try not to work too hard,” Eggsy says and drops a kiss on top of Merlin’s head. As an after thought he suggests, “I could bring dinner by and we could eat here?”

“Not necessary,” Merlin says quickly. “It’ll be boring, and ye shouldn’t waste yer evening sitting around here.”

Eggsy frowns, though he supposes Merlin is right. It’s usually dreadfully boring when Eggsy hangs around waiting for Merlin.

“Well, maybe Harry can get a pint,” Eggsy murmurs, more to himself than anything.

“Afraid he’s working late too,” Merlin says, already turning his back to Eggsy.

“Bollocks, okay.” Eggsy shakes his head. There goes his night. “See y’ when y’ get home babe.”

He leaves, thinking no more on the matter.

Until two days later when he comes across Merlin and Harry whispering to one another, their heads tucked close. It wasn’t an uncommon sight around the estate. With Harry now taking the mantle as Arthur, Merlin was constantly at his side, discussing one matter or the next. They were in constant gravitation of one another, pulled like the sea to the moon. If Eggsy was a pettier man he would have been jealous, but he knew that while Merlin’s and Harry’s relationship ran deep, it was purely platonic.

Or at least, that was what he told himself when they jumped apart upon his greeting. Merlin quickly smooths his guilty expression into a neutral mask and says, “Good to see ye lad.”

“Did y’ come home last night?” Eggsy asks. Merlin hadn’t been there when he woke.

“Afraid not. Tristan had a mission problem,” Merlin says with a sigh, the dark circles under his eyes confirmation.

“Seems things were a bit more complicated than we originally thought,” Harry adds. “I’m afraid I kept Merlin away. Apologies, my dear boy.”

Eggsy frowns but shrugs—what else can he do?

“Y’ coming home tonight though, right?”

“I’ll try lad,” Merlin promises and leaves.

Eggsy turns to Harry, who smiles and gestures to his office. “Care for some tea?”

Eggsy follows him in, seeing no reason to decline.

****

“Something is up,” Eggsy tells Roxy a week later. “Merlin has been home twice in the week, and the second time he smelled like Harry’s cologne.”

“That isn’t that uncommon,” Roxy states. “They work closely. And things have been hectic, you know that.”

Maybe. He’s probably just being paranoid. It’s just, their anniversary is coming up and he’s barely seen a lick of Merlin. Everytime Eggsy tries to do something with him, Merlin avoids him like he’s harboring the plague or something. And the last time Eggsy walked in on Merlin and Harry in a room together, they nearly darted to the opposite ends, each sharing twin guilty expressions.

Eggsy knows he’s lucky, that he shouldn’t push it. Men like Merlin don’t really go for boys like Eggsy. In all honesty, Eggsy still doesn’t quite know why Merlin is with him in the first place when he can have someone as refined and handsome as Harry. The way Eggsy sees it, Merlin basically settled for a chopped steak instead of a filet mignon.

So maybe now he’s finally realizing he could have better, and he just hasn’t found a way to shunt Eggsy out the door.

“I know that look,” Roxy admonishes. “And stop it. You are a catch, Eggsy Unwin. Merlin is lucky to have you, and he loves you. I’ve never seen him so smitten before.”

“Yeah?” Eggsy says, his fears slightly assuaged.

“Yes. When he thinks no one is looking he looks at you as if you hung the moon and move the tides. It’s actually quite nauseating.”

“Oi!”

Roxy smiles and pats his shoulder. “You know I love you.”

****

Eggsy tries to keep Roxy’s words in the back of his mind as their anniversary creeps closer and Merlin seems to pull further and further away. Eggsy’s lucky if he crosses Merlin in the hallway. He tries to keep himself busy by planning the evening, arranging reservations at Merlin’s favorite restaurant and finding the perfect gift—a rare, first edition of T.S. Elliot poems. It cost Eggsy a pretty penny, and to be quite honest he’d felt a bit sick when he bought it for dropping so much cash, but knowing how happy Merlin would be when he opened the gift dispelled any apprehensions Eggsy carried.

Harry doesn’t help Eggsy’s doubts as the week progresses. He’s being equally sneaky, sparing Eggsy queer looks that he can’t decipher, and dodging him every chance he gets. Usually Harry is quick to spend time with Eggsy, inviting him over for lunches, suggesting pints down at the pub, or even just popping into Eggsy’s office for a chat. He’s grown to become one of Eggsy’s best friends, and to have him treating Eggsy as if he were a leper leaves him more than disheartened.

Only guilty men behave this way. The question is, what are the two of them guilty of?

****

Eggsy scans the report as he walks to Harry’s office. It’s the day before their anniversary, and of course he’s been assigned an assignment. Luckily Eggsy doesn’t leave until two days after, so he can still spend time with Merlin.

But there are a few things Eggsy wants to talk to Harry about. He doesn’t bother knocking—he never has—when he enters Harry’s office. “Hey Haz, can I talk to y’ about—”

He freezes, his heart screeching to a stop. Merlin in his on his knees in front of Harry, a ring box held up. There’s a look in Merlin’s eyes, one Eggsy’s only seen when they’re alone—it’s a look of completely adoration—and Eggsy’s pretty sure he’s going to be sick.

“Wot the fuck is this?” He says, and it’s startling how dead his voice sounds.

Harry and Merlin both jerk around, their expressions guilty. Merlin snaps the ring box closed and stands. “Eggsy, lad—”

“No, please. Don’t stop,” Eggsy says. “Continue.”

Merlin winces and spares Harry a pleading look. Eggsy snorts—and it’s unkind of him, but he isn’t feeling very benevolent at the moment. He should have known their time was up. He was merely a stepping stone. He guesses he should feel honored to even have Merlin’s attention for as long as he did.

He doesn’t, though.

All he feels is misery. It’s always like this. Happiness dangles in front of him like a carrot, and no matter how often he reaches for it, all he can do is skim his fingers across it.

Fucking hell, he doesn’t deserve this. He deserves better.

He deserves to be happy.

“Y’ know wot? Y’ both can fucking have each other,” Eggsy snaps. He turns and strides back out of the office.

“Eggsy, wait!” Merlin and Harry both call, but Eggsy ignores them, not stopping. His vision blurs as he makes a hasty retreat to the bullet train.

***

Eggsy doesn’t really pay attention as he throws clothes into a suitcase. He’s just grabbing them and tossing them in. He may have taken some of Merlin’s.

JB is watching him, a confused look furrowing his pudgy face. Eggsy can’t meet his eyes. How is he supposed to explain to him that his daddies are splitting? That Merlin has decided he’s better off without Eggsy?

His phones been ringing off the hook. Merlin, Harry, and even Roxy have tried to reach him, and eventually he turns his phone on silent. He can’t deal with anyone.

 _I’m worth better._ It’s a lie he tries to tell himself as he snaps his suitcase closed and hauls it downstairs. His footsteps echo in the stairwell as he retraces the steps he takes every morning. He pauses to look around when he reaches the foot of the steps. It isn’t his home, not really. There aren’t traces of him anywhere. The décor is Merlin’s. Other than a stray leash belonging to JB and a jacket Eggsy left abandoned on the couch, it doesn’t look like anyone but Merlin lives there.

Eggsy’s always just adapted himself to Merlin. He should have known it never would have lasted. He was never a permanent fixture in Merlin’s life. He was merely a passing visitor, a guest that had long since overstayed their welcome.

The door raddles and scrapes open. Eggsy tenses.

Merlin staggers in, relief washing over him when he spots Eggsy. “Ye’re here.”

“I’m leaving, don’t worry,” Eggsy says. He bites the inside of his cheek. “All y’ had to do was say y’ were done. I wouldn’t have… I wouldn’t—”

He chokes, damn it. A sob escapes and he tries to swallow it back. He can keep it together. He has to.

“No, lad,” Merlin whispers and rushes over. Eggsy recoils when he reaches for him.

“I wouldn’t have made trouble,” Eggsy forces out between sobs. He’s stupid for crying. Fuck, why can’t he keep it together?

Merlin shakes his head and gathers Eggsy in his arms. Eggsy shoves against him, trying to fight against his hold, but eventually collapses and burrows into Merlin’s chest. It’s warm and soft, his hard muscles padded with a layer of cashmere sweater. He smells rich, like the forest, and Eggsy wants to stay there. This is where he belongs, where he’s always belonged—at least, that’s what he’d thought.

Before he can stop himself, he asks brokenly, “Did I do sumfin wrong?”

“Oh sweetheart,” Merlin whispers and kisses Eggsy’s temple. “No, no love. Ye did nothing wrong. Ye are so good, such a good boy.”

The praise sends a shiver washing over Eggsy. It’s all he wants to hear.

“Then why?” Eggsy croaks. “Was I not good enough?”

He never is.

He never will be.

Merlin lets out a shuddering breath that curls along Eggsy’s hair. He pulls Eggsy back, holding him at arm’s length, and Eggsy struggles to hide once again against his chest. If he stays there, it doesn’t have to end. JB whimpers at his feet.

“Sweetheart, this is all a misunderstanding,” Merlin says. “Look at me lad.”

Eggsy forces himself to meet Merlin’s eyes, which are bloodshot. He licks his chapped lips, his throat soar and thick with emotion.

“I’m sorry,” Merlin whispers, cupping Eggsy’s cheek and stroking his trembling bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have kept ye at a distance these last couple weeks. But works been so busy, and then I was trying to arrange yer surprise, and everything got out of hand with Tristian, and…”

He shakes his head.

“It’s no excuse. But what ye saw, it wasn’t me proposing to Harry. I was practicing.”

“Practicing?” Eggsy repeats, blinking.

Merlin nods and let’s go of Eggsy. Realization dawns on him as Merlin gets down onto one knee and fishes the ring box from his pocket. He opens it and holds it out to Eggsy.

“This wasn’t how I had it planned, but seeing as how I went and buggered it already…”

“Merlin…” Eggsy can’t get his brain to work. The ring is gorgeous. A solid titanium band with a single diamond embedded in the center. Wreathed around it in a gold setting are daisies.

“Eggsy, ye are the light of my life. Ye are my heart, my soul, my very core. Until ye came along, I was just existing,” Merlin says. The sun coming in through the windows framing the door warm the back of his head, casting a halo over it. “There’s no one I would rather spend the rest of my days with than ye, and if ye would do me the honor, I would like to call ye husband.”

Eggsy can’t get his tongue to work, but he manages to nod and squeak out, “Y-yes.” When Merlin gets the ring on his finger, he repeats, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Merlin drags him into an embrace, looping his arms around Eggsy’s waist, and kisses him hard. Eggsy melts into the touch, the tears streaming down his face now tears of joy.

“I love ye,” Merlin says as he pulls away.

“And I love y’,” Eggsy returns, drawing Merlin back into a kiss.


End file.
